Ayn Odin review: a Nintendo Switch with Android

There have been several attempts to create a game console based on the Android operating system. The Ouya was a high-profile flop and a high-profile success. The Shield evolved into a great streaming box but didn't make the platform a better gaming platform. It turns out that the OS is not a panacea for building your own ecosystems.

Smaller Chinese companies have been able to make their own version of the idea because of the open nature of Android. If you want to sell to a small crowd of retro game enthusiasts, you don't have to have a lot of ambitions. Retroid and Anbernic are two companies that make cheap, low-powered Android handhelds.

Ayn Odin is a new handheld that builds on that approach. It's made by a small company in Shenzhen that doesn't want to create a brand new gaming platform, insteadentrusting you to run whatever game you want on the device from the start. It's powerful enough to play more types of games than any of its competitors, and its design and control layout give it more flexibility.

The design of the Odin is obvious: it is basically a Nintendo Switch lite. I think Ayn's hardware is better than the one I used for a couple of years. The display is larger and sharper. The rear buttons are useful and the grips are more comfortable. The D-pad appears to be the same as the PS4's. The sticks are a little lower profile than the Switch, but they are comfortable and easy to use.

The build quality is impressive for this type of device. The unit I have been testing is a Super Nintendo-style grey and purple, which is a great look. I am happy that the blue lighting on the sides of the device and underneath the analog sticks can be turned off. There is a flap similar to the one that hides Switch game cards, but here it covers a microSD card slot and a Micro HDMI port. The only complaint I have is that the logo on the D-pad is goofy.

There are different versions of the same thing. I've been testing the $287 Odin Pro, which has a processor, memory, and storage capacity. The $239 non-Pro Odin has half the storage and half the RAM. The $198 Odin lite has 64 gigabytes of storage and 4 gigabytes of RAM, but it swaps out the Snapdragon for a newer one. The lite has just started shipping to backers, but all models are available to order through the website.

The raw performance of the flagship phones of the year are the ones using the Snapdragon 845. The difference is that the Odin has active cooling, so it can run the processor at its highest speed for longer periods of time, unlike thin smartphones, which don't have fans and need to throttle their performance to stay cool. The fan is almost inaudible on its normal setting, very quiet in performance mode, and about on par with a Nintendo Switch in high performance mode. It's not as noticeable as handheld PCs like the Steam Deck and the Aya Neo Next.

A chip found in a few years ago in the phones of the day is more powerful than what you would get with most other handhelds. The devices are intended to play games from 2D consoles or early 3D systems. The Odin is capable of emulating more advanced consoles. It's a more convenient and console-like experience than using a newer Android phone with an external controller, even if you sacrifice a little performance.

Depending on how you modify settings and which emulators you choose, yourulation results will vary. I found the Odin to do a good job with the three systems. GameCube games will usually run at their original resolution and frame rate, sometimes with an occasional hitch. I couldn't get the GameCube version of NBA Street V3 to load past the intro sequence, despite V2 running fine. The PSP games were a revelation, with most of them able to be run at far higher resolution and with better performance than the original hardware.

PS2 emulation is difficult on more powerful PCs due to Sony's proprietary Emotion Engine. I wouldn't buy the Odin if it didn't have a seamless, glitch-free experience with most of the system's library. GameCube versions of games, where they exist, will almost always be a better option if you want to play something from that console generation.

The Steam Deck is an obvious comparison, and while I don't have one in hand to test side by side, it will perform better than the Odin. You can get good results with PS3 games on the deck if you watch this video. If you're interested in older games, the Steam Deck might be better for you than the Odin.

Lots of ways to fill a gaming library

If you're in the range of a wi-fi network, the Odin is a great device for streaming games. It has all the controls you need, and its big display is the perfect size and sharpness. I have played a lot of games on the Game Pass and found the Odin to be a better experience than any phone. It isn't for everyone yet, but if it works with your play style, it's a good way to expand the capabilities of the Odin. I couldn't get the PS4 and PS5 Remote Play app to work with the built-in controls if I used a dual- controller.

You can download games from the included store. There aren't many games that can get decent performance from the Snapdragon 845. I got a 30 frames per second at default settings for the Genshin Impact stress test. Ayn's software layer lets you easily map touchscreen commands to the Odin's physical controls in games like Genshin and Call of Duty Mobile.

I couldn't get to play any of the major games because I couldn't turn on the developer mode.

The lite model of the software has an optional launcher, as well as a stock version of the operating system. I found this launcher useful for system-level features like adjusting fan speed and the LED lights, but it requires you to add all your games manually in order to launch them, which I didn't find to be worth the effort. It isn't perfect for 6-inch landscape displays, but at least it works the way you expect.

No native Netflix but other options

Prime Video and other streaming apps like it do show up in the Play Store, but you might have to use the phone-styleUI before your video starts. I don't think it would be a good idea for most people to install the Arm-based version of Windows on the Odin through an open-source project.

The battery life of any handheld gaming device is dependent on what you are doing with it, but I found the Odins to be very good. The main selling point of the Pro version is its 6,000mAh battery, which is bigger than any phone that doesn't have a giant battery. I didn't do a dedicated rundown test, but I haven't found myself needing to rush to a charging point in my time with it. Ayn claims the lite has fast charging, while the Odin and Pro support Quick Charge up to 4.0+.

I was unable to test the charging stand with a ton of ports. Two Nintendo 64 controller ports and two more for GameCube controllers are included. I don't know how well the dock works, but it would be a unique way to play Super Smash Bros.

It's hard to fault the Ayn Odin for what they set out to do. Ayn has been able to build great hardware, step back, and give the user the responsibility of figuring out what to run on it, because of the fact that it is possible to make a ready-made gaming platform. This will make a person very happy.

When compared to a Nintendo Switch lite, streaming, traditional Android gaming, and emulation are all relatively niche use cases. If you're after a machine that plays Nintendo Switch games, that $199 machine is a better choice. It won't be for everyone.

There's something to be said for allowing you to do what you want with a portable console that has the flexibility of a well-made, capable portable console. While Ayn doesn't have its own games store to lean on, the appeal is that it does forANDROID what the steam deck does for PC gaming, and it brings the platform to a convenient form factor.

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it. It is impossible for us to read and analyze all of these agreements. We started counting how many times you have to agree to use devices when we review them.

You need to agree to some of the terms of the built-in apps and services in order to use them. That also includes:

• Google’s terms of service
• Google’s privacy policy
• Google Play terms of service

If you only wanted to use it as an emulation device and sideload everything like most other Android gaming handhelds, then using the Odin without a Google account would be more practical than using a phone. There are no mandatory terms to agree to.